Obama's Commitment; New SOP Version; Senator Boxer to Take Quick Action

Obama's video speech at the Governors' Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles indicated that climate change is a high priority for the incoming Administration. Below are some of his remarks, and you can watch the video to experience the full speech.

"Few challenges facing America - and the world - are more urgent than combating climate change. The science is beyond dispute and the facts are clear. Sea levels are rising. Coastlines are shrinking. We've seen record drought, spreading famine, and storms that are growing stronger with each passing hurricane season. Climate change and our dependence on foreign oil, if left unaddressed, will continue to weaken our economy and threaten our national security."

"My presidency will mark a new chapter in America's leadership on climate change that will strengthen our security and create millions of new jobs in the process."

Following the president-elect's video speech, Oxfam America's VP for Policy and Communications, Jim Lyons, spoke at the Summit and showed an excellent new narrated version of Sisters on the Planet. Click here to watch the video.

A few days later, Sen. Barbara Boxer announced her action plan.

"President-elect Obama's clear, unequivocal commitment to stepping up to the challenge of global warming was music to my ears. I believe strongly that when we address the threat of unchecked global warming by investing in clean energy technologies and reducing our dependence on foreign oil, we also have a recipe for economic recovery. The time to start is now, and my colleagues and I are here to step up to President-elect Obama's call to action to address global warming and create millions of green jobs in America. Today I am announcing the first steps that I will be taking in connection with President-elect Obama's historic challenge to address global warming.

First, I will be introducing two pieces of legislation in January. The first bill will establish a grant program to reduce global warming emissions under the Clean Air Act with up to $15 billion a year available to spur innovations in clean energy, including advanced biofuels. This will be an economic stimulus and follows President-elect Obama's recommendation. Clean energy means green jobs. A new report from the U.S. Conference of Mayors estimates that by 2038, another 4.2 million green jobs could be added to the economy - thanks to the alternative energy and renewable energy industries, and the benefits of energy efficiency. That could account for 10 percent of job growth over the next 30 years. The second piece of legislation will direct the Environmental Protection Agency to set up a cap and trade system for greenhouse gases that meets the goals laid out by the President elect. This bill will reflect the strong partnership we will have with the new Administration, and will focus on achieving the emissions reductions needed while restoring the economy. It will be a streamlined bill, which will amend the Clean Air Act.

Next, I am announcing our first hearing in the 111th Congress. The hearing will take place as soon as possible after we convene in January, and will be entitled "How Fighting Global Warming is Good for the Economy and Will Create Jobs."

The Senate Environment and Public Works Committee will be represented next month at the United Nations Climate Change Conference in Poznan, Poland. I am sending my top Committee staff, who will act as my representatives in meetings with international leaders as they prepare for a new global agreement to address greenhouse gas emissions, which will be completed in 2009 in Denmark. In addition, Senator Klobuchar will be attending and plans to report back to President-elect Obama and to our Committee. Other Senators from the Committee may join her. President-elect Obama told the world on Tuesday that our country will be an ally in the fight against global warming. I am here to say that our Committee stands ready to be a tireless ally in that effort."

You are invited to the launch party for Global Verve, a conscious jewelry collection. Participate in a unique effort to bring global awareness, and experience "Sisters on the Planet," a new project of Oxfam America.

NOVEMBER 5, 2008 6pm-8:30pm
7:15 (20 minute film screening)
SECESSION ART & DESIGN
3361 Mission St @ 30th
San Francisco 94110

R S V P to Josie Adele:
josie@globalvervedesigns.com or 415.336.0106

Hunger Banquet November 18th... join us!

Events Update

Many thanks to everyone who joined us on September 4th in Palo Alto for the premier U.S. screening of "Sisters on the Planet." We had a great turn out with over 60 people attending! Plans are in the works for a San Francisco and San Jose screening, along with other exciting fall events, so be sure to sign up for local updates to receive the latest invitations.

Confirmed upcoming events include:

October 18th:
We've been invited to table and promote "Sisters on the Planet" at an event in Saratoga hosted by the League of Women Voters. More details to come soon, but we'll need a few volunteers so please let us know if you're available to help out (carpool available).

November 18th:
Hunger Banquet at the Dorothy Stang Center for Social Justice and Community Engagement in Belmont (at Notre Dame de Namur Universtity). This is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with this great group dedicated to increasing awareness, dialogue, and activism around the issues of social and environmental justice. The more the merrier, so please let us know if you're available to attend and if you're interested in volunteering.

You're Invited...

What: Premier Screening of Oxfam's Documentary "Sisters on the Planet"
When: Thursday, Sept. 4th
Time: 6 - 8 p.m.
Where: Lucie Stern Center
1305 Middlefield Road
Palo Alto, CA 94301

The San Francisco Oxfam Action Corps invites you to a free reception and screening to honor the launch of Oxfam's new film, "Sisters on the Planet," which tells the story of four women determined to do whatever they can to fight climate change.

As obvious as it sounds, climate change affects everybody. But climate change is already having a disproportionate impact on people in poor communities, and it’s hitting women hardest.

It’s not the easiest idea to understand, so to help explain we’ve made these short films about women, in both rich and poor countries, who are determined to do whatever they can to put a stop to climate change.

Watch them and become aware of the impact our changing climate is having on people’s lives. And be inspired to join the fight against climate change (yummy hors d'oeuvres and wine too!).

Special Guests Attending:

Oxfam America welcomes featured “Sister” Sharon Hanshaw, executive director of Biloxi organization Coastal Women for Change, a community action organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of their Biloxi neighborhoods and way of life.

Representative Anna Eshoo (CA-14) has also been invited to attend the Oxfam America “Sisters on the Planet” Screening and Reception and we hope that she will be able to attend.

Please email kdanko@oxfamamerica.org soon to reserve your spot.

Some great news, and some not so great news...

First, the great news. With your help, last week Oxfam hit its goal of ONE MILLION people worldwide who signed our petition calling on the G8 leaders to put climate change and poverty at the top of the agenda. This is an amazing achievement. It shows the G8 leaders that the world is demanding they act now. Thank you for helping to push us over the top!

Now for the bad news. While the G8 leaders agreed to try to cut emissions by half by 2050, they did not come up with a plan to reach that goal or any short-term benchmarks-and without those, their promise could be just a lot of hot air. Oxfam works every day with people whose lives and livelihoods are already being affected by climate change, so we know the devastating effects it has on poor people. But we can’t win this fight alone. Please take a moment to email congress and tell the presidential candidates to:

1) Commit the US to reducing its global warming pollution to a level consistent with limiting warming to 2 degrees Celsius over preindustrial levels;

2) Dedicate new and sufficient funding to help developing countries adapt to climate change impacts such as flooding, droughts, crop failures, and disease;

3) Shift subsidies for fossil fuels like oil and coal to support clean energy solutions;

4) Engage constructively in international negotiations and committing the US to mandatory targets to reduce global warming pollution.

Oxfam's Climate Change Campaign Hits YouTube

Oxfam America has released a YouTube video about the organization's new climate change campaign. With narration from Oxfam America's president, personal stories from those hit first and worst by climate change, photos of Action Corps volunteers in action, and an aspiring rapper from Uganda, the video really makes the case for taking action on climate change and climate change adaptation. It's very compelling and is only three minutes long, so watch it now!

After watching the video, you'll probably want to take action. You can start right away by telling the presidential candidates to make climate change and its impact on the poor a priority. Then, make sure you're signed up for the Oxfam Action Corps - San Francisco listserv. We'll keep you informed on local news, events, and volunteer opportunities. The San Francisco Bay Area Oxfam Action Corps is a dynamic, nonpartisan volunteer team committed to lasting solutions to poverty and injustice. We're open to all. If you're interested in volunteering or have ideas about how we reach your community, please email us at oxfam.sf@gmail.com.

Climate Security Act Goes on Ice

The Climate Security Act of 2008, introduced by Senators Lieberman and Warner, stalled in the Senate last week, along with its funding for international climate change adaptation. Congress is likely to pickup the issue next year.

The bill was taken off the congressional docket after a cloture vote failed, 48-36. The legislation would have created a carbon cap-and-trade system within the United States, with revenue from the auction of carbon credits going toward a number of climate-related initiatives, including critical climate change adaptation programs for the world's most vulnerable communities (learn more about adaptation here). Most sources, such as Congressional Quarterly, state that the bill will be readdressed next year.

The Climate Security Act's status is not unexpected and should not be viewed as a defeat. Work on the bill in this session has set the stage for next year and several important developments hold promise. The bill was co-sponsored by twelve senators representing both sides of the aisle, with much credit being owed to California's own Sen. Barbara Boxer. The bill put a human face on climate change, explicitly citing the disproportionate impact it has on the world's poor and providing funds to help those communities cope.

Thanks to everyone who contacted Congress about the bill. Be sure to follow developments because, while the Climate Security Act will remain high-and-dry this year, millions of struggling families won't. Adaptation funding is desperately needed so action must resume as soon as the next congress gets down to business. In the meantime, sign this petition asking the presidential candidates to help the poor adapt to climate change.

The SF Oxfam Action Corps Enters Its 2nd Year!

One year ago this week, Oxfam America founded ten Oxfam Action Corps groups, including Oxfam Action Corps - San Francisco. Through grassroots organizing and outreach, these teams mobilized supporters in their regions to ask Congress for a reformed Farm Bill. Although the Farm Bill continues to languish in Congress and current versions of the bill keep the trade-distorting subsidies linked to poverty abroad, the Oxfam Action Corps have left their mark. The Wall Street Journal gave a nod to our David and Goliath-like campaign, writing "Some groups argued that farm subsidies hurt poor, unsubsidized farmers in the developing world.... Antipoverty group Oxfam America tapped into a grass-roots network around the country to raise awareness of the issue."

Here in San Francisco, our outreach efforts took us to:

11 concerts
2 music festivals
3 community festivals and fair trade fairs
1 hunger banquet
3 house parties
1 speaking event
1 movie screening in Dolores Park
and 12 visits to congressional offices!!!

Through these efforts and more, we've reached thousands of people and have had a lot of fun along the way! The second year of the SF Oxfam Action Corps brings new challenges, opportunities, and a climate change campaign with a poverty focus. You can get involved; there are many ways to make a difference in the fight against poverty and injustice without writing a check. Email oxfam.sf@gmail.com to learn about volunteer opportunities. There is truly something for everyone.

Our Next Event:
What: Earth Day Festival
When: This Sunday, April 20th from 12:00 - 6:00 pm.
Where: S.F. Golden Gate Park Green Apple Music Festival

If you’re interested in getting involved and volunteering with Oxfam at this fun event, please respond to this email and let us know what shifts you’re interested in. Shifts are from 12-2pm, 2-4pm and 4-6pm. Please also let us know if you’re interested in participating in our “Walk for Climate Justice” stunt, to take place around 2:30 -3:00 pm.

More About the Stunt:
While least responsible for causing climate change, poor people
bear the brunt of its impacts. As an international relief and
development organization dedicated to finding lasting solutions to
poverty and injustice, Oxfam America is undertaking a campaign
to create equitable solutions to the crisis. We are asking that the
US cut greenhouse gas emissions and provide financial assistance
so that the most vulnerable communities can adapt.

We’ve all seen the images on the evening news: the droughts,
floods, hunger, and disease. Decades of greenhouse gas emis-
sions have finally caught up with our climate—and it’s the poorest
among us who are worst affected. Oxfam America organized the
“Walk for Climate Justice” to draw attention to these impacts and to
highlight the human face of climate change. The walk is a visual
representation of the current and future hardships caused by er-
ratic temperature and rainfall, flooding, drought, competition over
scarce resources—and the growing distance that poor people,
especially women and children, will have to walk for water.

What the stunt looks like:
By dressing in white and carrying water buckets a significant
distance as part of a procession, you will stand in for people
around the world who, because of the negative effects of climate
change, must travel farther and experience increased hardship
in order to find fresh water and other vital resources. You will then
read dramatized stories about real people around the world who
are affected by climate change.

Looking Ahead

Although the fight for a fair Farm Bill continues, we'd like to start this message by thanking you for your ongoing support. Because of you,
real gains have been made for farmers and their families. It looks as
though the proposed Farm Bill will provide for increased funding for
minority farmers, domestic hunger programs, and conservation
initiatives. And even as the Farm Bill moves along, Oxfam's fight
against global poverty and injustice continues.


In the coming months, we will advocate for the rights of poor communities with regard to the oil, gas, and mining industries. We have also begun a new campaign to find equitable solutions to the global crisis of climate change, which affects poor people first and worst. These are big issues, but with your help, we can make a difference.


Again, we thank you for all your support and hope that you will stay involved as we continue to cultivate change!

Legislative Update:
It is looking less and less likely that key House and Senate leaders
will be able to reach a deal acceptable to the White House. If a deal
cannot be reached that the president is willing to sign, the newly
appointed secretary of agriculture, Ed Schafer, has said that there
will likely be no new Farm Bill this year and that the current Farm Bill
will have to be extended. But as we have all seen throughout this long fight, movement in Congress is fluid, so stay tuned!

Thanks to advocacy work by Oxfam America, volunteers like you, and
partners, the new Farm Bill could begin to address a history of
discrimination in US agriculture programs.

Tell Your Friends:
If you know of others interested in joining the fight to end poverty and injustice, please encourage them to visit our page, join our e-community and email Megimegs1@yahoo.com for more information.